Animal Update: Flower Hat Jellies

Published June 30, 2017

Flower hat jellies can be found throughout the coastal waters of southern Japan in the Pacific, and off the coast of Brazil and Argentina in the Atlantic.

The lighting in our exhibit is arranged to illuminate the striking fluorescent tentacles of these jellies. There is also a substrate located within their exhibit space. As a semi-benthic species, these jellies mostly rest on the grate in their exhibit, but occasionally swim up into the water column.

These jellies are carnivorous. Their diet consists mostly of small fish, which are caught with their tentacles. If you look closely at their translucent bells, you can often see them digesting fish!